"Prayer Power"
I love the Lord... He hears and answers my prayers.
Because He bends down and listens,
I will pray as long as I have breath.
Psalm 116:1-2
A young missionary on furlough told this incredible story while visiting his home church in Michigan. “While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.
Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later, I repeated my journey.
Upon arriving in the city once again, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known that I carried money and medicines. He said, “Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by twenty-six armed guards.” At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, “No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: “On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day please stand up?” The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were twenty-six.”
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Life is fragile, handle with prayer.
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Prayer is the most important resource for spiritual survival. It reinforces faith and it is the key that unlocks the miraculous. Prayer is the safe sanctuary where we talk with God and receive his point of view on a matter. Prayer gives God permission to reveal the next step for our lives. Prayer prepares us to do God's will. Prayer can be viewed as our S.O.S. signal to God in times of crisis. Undoubtedly, when we are emotionally overwhelmed finding the words to pray can escape us. This is when we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf. Romans 8:26-27 says, "The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."
Listening skills are important in our relationships and its no different in a relationship with God. He is looking for us to care enough to spend time listening to him. Once a young man lost his job. As time went on, he grew desperate about his situation. He decided to ask for some wisdom from an old preacher he knew. As the young man poured out his heart to the preacher he angrily declared, “I've begged and begged God to say something to help me. Why doesn't God answer?” The old preacher, who was sitting across the room, spoke a reply so quiet the young man was unable to understand what he said. So, the young man stepped across the room. “What did you say?” he asked. The preacher repeated himself, again in a soft tone. So, the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. “Sorry,” he said. “I still didn't hear you.” With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more, “God sometimes whispers, so we will move closer to hear him.”
1. Can I really hear God’s voice?
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Life is fragile, handle with prayer.
_______________________________________
Prayer is the most important resource for spiritual survival. It reinforces faith and it is the key that unlocks the miraculous. Prayer is the safe sanctuary where we talk with God and receive his point of view on a matter. Prayer gives God permission to reveal the next step for our lives. Prayer prepares us to do God's will. Prayer can be viewed as our S.O.S. signal to God in times of crisis. Undoubtedly, when we are emotionally overwhelmed finding the words to pray can escape us. This is when we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf. Romans 8:26-27 says, "The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."
Listening skills are important in our relationships and its no different in a relationship with God. He is looking for us to care enough to spend time listening to him. Once a young man lost his job. As time went on, he grew desperate about his situation. He decided to ask for some wisdom from an old preacher he knew. As the young man poured out his heart to the preacher he angrily declared, “I've begged and begged God to say something to help me. Why doesn't God answer?” The old preacher, who was sitting across the room, spoke a reply so quiet the young man was unable to understand what he said. So, the young man stepped across the room. “What did you say?” he asked. The preacher repeated himself, again in a soft tone. So, the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. “Sorry,” he said. “I still didn't hear you.” With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more, “God sometimes whispers, so we will move closer to hear him.”
1. Can I really hear God’s voice? Yes! God is constantly speaking to us. There are no magic formulas for hearing God’s voice. It is an individualistic experience, so explore what will work for you. You can begin by asking God a question believing He will answer you - because He will. The challenge is discerning his voice. God's voice usually comes as a sweet whisper within our thoughts or an insight as we study scripture. Here is a guideline:
1. Ask God to give you the ability to discern His voice. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)
2. Trust God to speak to you. "Go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him." (Hebrews 10:22)
3. Be quiet, focus on God, and listen. "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
1. Ask God to give you the ability to discern His voice. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)
2. Trust God to speak to you. "Go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him." (Hebrews 10:22)
3. Be quiet, focus on God, and listen. "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
2. How will I know it’s God’s voice? Test it by asking the following:
Does it agree with scripture? It will always agree with the Bible. God doesn't contradict Himself in words or actions.
Does it come as a loving voice or one that is critically condemning? It will always be encouraging and loving. Even when it consists of words of correction.
Does it give a sense of urgency to be hasty rather than a calm peace assuring you to wait on God’s timing? God is not in a hurry. His voice produces a peace that goes beyond understanding. Move forward cautiously if there is an anxious hurry up tone to the message. Fear is always from the enemy and blocks us from receiving God’s peace.
Do the surrounding circumstances confirm it? If God is truly speaking to us to do something, He will supply all that is needed for it to be carried out, such as finances, our available time, and/or favor with others. We are to trust God with the timing and not try to force open doors that he may have closed.
Does it agree with the plan God has already revealed? If we’ve truly heard from God, and yet we continue to experience a feeling of uneasiness as we attempt to obey the voice we’ve heard, wait and reflect - it may not have come from God. Waiting is always a good response when in doubt.
3. Is there a guideline I can use for prayer?
Its found in Matthew 6:9-13. This is a record of when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. He answered them by praying what has been labeled as the Lord's Prayer. It has six elements establishing a suggested pattern for prayer. This isn't intended to be a legalistic approach to prayer...only a suggested outline:
1. Focus on God: "My Father in heaven, may Your name be honored
2. Ask for God's kingdom principles to be active in your life: "May your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven."
3. Ask God to meet your physical and spiritual nourishment: "Give me food for today."
4. Ask God to cleanse you from sin and empower you to resist temptation: "Forgive my sins, just as I have forgiven those who have sinned against me."
5. Ask for God's protection: "Don't let me yield to temptation, but deliver me from the evil one."
6. Focus on God again: "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Does it agree with scripture? It will always agree with the Bible. God doesn't contradict Himself in words or actions.
Does it come as a loving voice or one that is critically condemning? It will always be encouraging and loving. Even when it consists of words of correction.
Does it give a sense of urgency to be hasty rather than a calm peace assuring you to wait on God’s timing? God is not in a hurry. His voice produces a peace that goes beyond understanding. Move forward cautiously if there is an anxious hurry up tone to the message. Fear is always from the enemy and blocks us from receiving God’s peace.
Do the surrounding circumstances confirm it? If God is truly speaking to us to do something, He will supply all that is needed for it to be carried out, such as finances, our available time, and/or favor with others. We are to trust God with the timing and not try to force open doors that he may have closed.
Does it agree with the plan God has already revealed? If we’ve truly heard from God, and yet we continue to experience a feeling of uneasiness as we attempt to obey the voice we’ve heard, wait and reflect - it may not have come from God. Waiting is always a good response when in doubt.
3. Is there a guideline I can use for prayer?Its found in Matthew 6:9-13. This is a record of when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. He answered them by praying what has been labeled as the Lord's Prayer. It has six elements establishing a suggested pattern for prayer. This isn't intended to be a legalistic approach to prayer...only a suggested outline:
1. Focus on God: "My Father in heaven, may Your name be honored
2. Ask for God's kingdom principles to be active in your life: "May your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven."
3. Ask God to meet your physical and spiritual nourishment: "Give me food for today."
4. Ask God to cleanse you from sin and empower you to resist temptation: "Forgive my sins, just as I have forgiven those who have sinned against me."
5. Ask for God's protection: "Don't let me yield to temptation, but deliver me from the evil one."
6. Focus on God again: "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Now, take a moment and listen to God. Give him a chance to respond to your prayers. He responds with an answer of yes, no, or the timing isn't right for it's fulfillment. Whenever God answers with a "No" He has a better idea than yours, so thank Him and trust Him to unfold His plan in His time and in His way.
4. Where is the best place to pray?
4. Where is the best place to pray? "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6) Solitude helps some people in hearing and discerning God’s soft voice, so any place where distractions are minimized is the best location to pray. Essentially, prayer can happen anywhere at any time.
5. Will my prayers be answered?
Yes, as you keep your focus on God. James 1:5-8 states this principle, "Ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." If you don't receive what you are trusting God for, he simply has a better plan in mind. Possibly an incredible one that is beyond your understanding at the moment.
A lifestyle of prayer and fasting produces miraculous results.
6. What is fasting?
5. Will my prayers be answered? Yes, as you keep your focus on God. James 1:5-8 states this principle, "Ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." If you don't receive what you are trusting God for, he simply has a better plan in mind. Possibly an incredible one that is beyond your understanding at the moment.
A lifestyle of prayer and fasting produces miraculous results.
6. What is fasting? Fasting increases discernment of the spiritual world. Fasting is an outward action of an internal sincere desire for the Lord’s presence or intervention in an individual’s life or in a matter. It is to practice self-denial for a short or long period, but there is no spiritual value in fasting alone. The spiritual empowerment found in fasting is gained through eliminating distractions from a time of concentrated prayer and study of the Bible. The basic approach to fasting is to voluntarily abstain from food for a fixed period, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be about food. It can include not watching TV or some other behavior, refusing to participate in anything that hinders communion with God, and redirects a focus on him. There will be times when fasting is added to an extended season of prayer to help receive a breakthrough in circumstances, wisdom for decision making, a time of sincere repentance, increased discernment, comfort for times of grief, and increased love for others.
7. Why is it important to pray God's promises found in Bible verses?
7. Why is it important to pray God's promises found in Bible verses? Praying the promise out loud, not the problem is simply using scriptures as a prayer. This is a way to be confident that we are praying according to the will of God. For God faithfully watches over his Word for it to perform what he wants to see happen in any given circumstance. In order to pray this way, search the Bible for the verse that is the antidote to your problem and then boldly pray it. Here are some verses to help you get started: hopeless Matthew 19:26; feeling trapped with no way out: 2 Corinthians 3:17; grieving: Matthew 5:4; sorrow: John 14; worry: Matthew 6:19-34; danger: Psalm 91; God seems far away: Psalm 139; faithless: Hebrews 11; lonely and fearful: Psalm 23; bitter and critical: I Corinthians 13; depressed: Romans 8:31; depressed: Psalm 27; discouraged: Psalm 126; fear: Psalm 34:7; insecure: Psalm 121:3; reassurance: Psalm 145:18.
8. Is it wrong for me to ask the Lord for something repeatedly?
8. Is it wrong for me to ask the Lord for something repeatedly?Knowing God Power of Prayer Spiritual Warfare Glossary
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Scriptures quotations taken from the New Living Translation® (NLT) Bible. Copyright © 1996 Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
CJB denotes scripture quotations taken from the Complete Jewish Bible® (CJB) Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern and used with the permission of Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 615, Clarksville, Maryland 21029. This Bible is available through Messianic Jewish Resources at: MessianicJewish.net